The Apple II series (branded with brackets as "Apple" ["and shown in the newer model as" Apple//") is a home computer family, one of the first mass-produced mass a successful microcomputer product, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, produced by Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.), and launched in 1977 with the original Apple II. In terms of ease of use, features, and development capabilities, the Apple II is a major advance over its predecessor, Apple I, a limited-output circuit board computer limited to electronic enthusiasts. Through 1988, a number of models were introduced, with the most popular, the Apple IIe, remaining relatively little changed in the 1990s. The 16-bit model with much more sophisticated graphics and sound, the Apple II GS , was added in 1986. Although compatible with previous Apple II systems, the II GS is in more competition close to Atari ST and Amiga.
The Apple II was first sold on June 10, 1977. At the end of production in 1993, somewhere between five and six million series Apple II computers (including about 1.25 million Apple II GS models) was produced. The Apple II is one of the longest-produced series of home computers produced, with a production model just under 17 years old.
The Apple II became one of the few computers known and successful during the 1980s and early 1990s, although this was primarily confined to the United States. It was marketed aggressively through volume discounts and manufacturing arrangements for educational institutions, making it the first computer widely used in American high schools, replacing the early Commodore PET leaders. Attempts to develop educational and business software for Apple II, including the popular 1979 VisiCalc spreadsheet release, make computers extremely popular with business and family users.
The original Apple II operating system is in ROM along with Integer BASIC. The program is inserted, then saved and loaded on tape. When Disk II was implemented in 1978 by Steve Wozniak, Disk Operating System or DOS was commissioned from Shepardson Microsystems where the development was done by Paul Laughton. The latest and most popular version of this software is Apple DOS 3.3. Some commercial Apple II software is instantly booted and does not use the standard DOS format. This prevents copying or modifying software on the disk and increasing loading speed. Apple DOS is replaced by ProDOS, which supports hierarchical file systems and larger storage devices. With an optional third-party Z80-based expansion card, Apple II can boot into the CP/M operating system and run WordStar, dBase II, and other CP/M software. With the launch of MousePaint in 1984 and Apple II GS in 1986, this platform took on the look of the Macintosh user interface, including the mouse.
Although the introduction of the Motorola 68000 based Macintosh in 1984 the Apple II series is still reported to account for 85% of the company's hardware sales in the first quarter of fiscal 1985. Apple continued to sell the Apple II system with the Macintosh until ending II GS in December 1992 and IIe in November 1993. Apple II last series in production, IIe card for Macintoshes, was discontinued on October 15, 1993. Sales Apple II for 14 consecutive years of about 6 million units, with a peak occurred in 1983 when 1 million was sold.
Video Apple II series
Design
Apple II is designed to look more like a home appliance than electronic equipment. The lid appears from a cream-colored plastic box without using tools, allowing access to internal computers, including motherboards with eight expansion slots, and a random access socket (RAM) row that can hold up to 48 kilobytes of memory chips.
The Apple II features high-resolution color and graphics modes, voice capabilities and one of two integrated BASIC programming languages ​​(originally BASIC Integer, then Applesoft BASIC). Apple II is targeted to the masses not just hobbyists and engineers; it also affects most of the microcomputers that follow it. Unlike previous home microcomputers, it is sold as a consumer tool so not as a kit (not assembled or preassembled). The Apple Educators Guide by Gerald VanDiver and Rolland Love reviewed over 1,500 software programs that can be used by the Apple II series. The Apple dealer network uses this book to emphasize the growing base of software developers in education and personal use.
The Apple II series has a keyboard built into the motherboard shell, with the exception of Apple II GS featuring an external keyboard. The case of the Apple II is quite durable, according to Apple's 1981 ad, to protect Apple II from a fire started when a cat belonging to one of the early users dropped a lamp.
Maps Apple II series
Model
The initial series II model is usually set "Apple] ["; the next model "Apple//", plus the letter suffix.
Apple II
The first Apple II computer went on sale on June 10, 1977 with the MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor (later Synertek) running at 1,023 MHz, 4 KB RAM, an audio cassette interface for loading programs and storing data, and the programming language BASIC BASIC built into ROM. The video controller displays 40 columns with 24 monochrome lines, only uppercase letters (original characters set to match ASCII 0x20 to 0x5F characters) on the screen, with NTSC composite video output suitable for display on TV monitors, or on ordinary TVs with separate RF modulator. The original retail price of the computer is US $ 1298 (with 4kB RAM) and US $ 2638 (with a maximum RAM of 48kB). To reflect the computer's color graphics capabilities, the Apple logo on the case was represented using a rainbow of lines, which remained a part of Apple's company logo until early 1998. The earliest Apple II was assembled in Silicon Valley, and later in Texas; Printed circuit boards are produced in Ireland and Singapore.
An external 5 ¼ inch floppy disk drive, Disk II, is attached via a control card plugged into one of the computer's expansion slots (usually slot 6), used for data storage and retrieval to replace tapes. The Disk II interface, created by Steve Wozniak, is considered a technical masterpiece for the economy of electronic components.
The emblem of the design philosophy of Apple II is a sound circuit. Instead of having a dedicated sound-synthesis chip, the Apple II has a switch circuit that can only issue clicks through the built-in speaker or line-out jack; all other sounds (including two, three and, finally, four voice music and audio sample playback and speech synthesis) are generated entirely by software that clicks on the speaker in a timely manner.
The Apple II multi expansion slot allows a variety of third-party devices, including Apple II peripheral cards such as series controllers, display controllers, memory boards, hard disks, network components, and real-time clocks. There is a plug-in expansion card - such as Z-80 SoftCard - that allows Apple to use Z80 processors and run many programs developed under the CP/M operating system, including dBase II databases and WordStar word processors. There is also a 6809 party card that will allow OS-9 Level One to run. Third party sound cards greatly enhance audio capabilities, allowing simple music synthesis and text-to-speech functions. Finally, the Apple II accelerator card is made to double or fold the speed of the computer.
Rod Holt designed the Apple II power supply. He uses a switched mode power supply design, which is much smaller and produces less unwanted heat than a linear power supply of several other home computers in use.
The original Apple II was discontinued in early 1981, which had been replaced by II. It is estimated that 40,000 machines are sold to run 4 years of production.
Apple II Plus
The Apple II Plus , introduced in June 1979, included the Applesoft BASIC programming language in ROM. This Microsoft-written BASIC dialect, previously available as an update, supports floating-point arithmetic, and becomes the standard BASIC dialect on the Apple II series (though it runs at a slower pace than Steve Wozniak's BASIC BASIC).
Except for improved graphics and boot disk support in ROM, and the removal of 2k 6502 assembler/disassembler to make room for floating point BASICS, II is identical to the original II. RAM prices dropped during 1980-81 and all II engines came from factories with full 48k memory already installed. The language card in Slot 0 adds another 16k, but needs to be replaced because the remaining CPU address space is occupied by ROM and I/O areas. For this reason, the additional RAM in the language card is bank-switched over the machine's default ROM, enabling code that is inserted into in additional memory to use as if it were a ROM. The user can thus load the BASIC Integer into the language card of the disk and switch between Integer and Applesoft dialects from BASIC with DOS 3.3's INT and FP commands as if they have a BASIC ROM expansion card. Language cards are also required to use UCSD Pascal and FORTRAN 77 compilers, released by Apple at about the same time. It runs under the UCSD p-System operating system, which has its own disk format and code emitted for "virtual machines" rather than the actual 6502 processor.
The TEMPEST-approved version of Apple II Plus was created in 1980 by Georgia Tech Research Institute for the US Army FORSCOM, and was used as a component in the earliest version of the Microfix system. Held in 1982, the Microfix system was the first tactical system to use video disc (Laserdisc) technology that provides zoom and scroll maps combined with intelligence data point databases such as combat sequences, airfields, highways, and bridges.
Apple II Europlus and J-Plus
After Apple's first success in the United States, Apple expanded its market to include Europe, Australia and the Far East in 1979, with Apple II Europlus (Europe, Australia) and Apple II J-Plus (Japanese). In this model, Apple makes the necessary hardware, software and firmware changes to meet standards outside the US. The power supply is modified to receive local stresses, and in European and Australian models the video output signal changes from color. NTSC to PAL monochrome - an additional video card is required for color PAL graphics, because the simple trick Wozniak uses to generate Pseudo-NTSC signals with minimal hardware does not carry over to the more complex PAL systems. In the Japanese version of Apple international, the keyboard layout is altered to allow for Katakana writing (full Kanji support is obviously beyond machine capability), but in most other countries Apple is sold internationally with an unmodified American keyboard; thus the German model still lacks the umlaut, for example. For the most part, the Apple II Europlus and J-Plus are identical to the Apple II Plus. Europlus production ended in 1983.
Apple IIe
The Apple II Plus was followed in 1983 by Apple IIe , a lower-cost yet more powerful machine that uses new chips to reduce the number of components and add new features, such as lowercase and lowercase letters and 64KB RAM standards.
RAM IIe is configured as if it is a 48 kB Apple II Plus with a language card. The machine does not have slot 0, but has an additional slot that can accept 1 kB memory card to enable 80-column display. This card only contains RAM; hardware and firmware for 80-column screens built into the Apple IIe. The "extended 80-column" card with more memory increases the engine RAM to 128 kB.
As with any language card, the memory in the 80-column card is replaced with the bank over the machine's main RAM; this makes memory more suitable for data storage than running software, and in fact the ProDOS operating system, introduced with Apple IIe, will automatically configure this memory as a RAM disk after booting.
The 1 K 80-column card also enables a new graphics mode, Double Lo-Res (80ÃÆ' â € "48 pixels). The extended 80-column card allows two, Double Lo-Res and Double Hi-Res (560ÃÆ'â € "192 pixels). Both modes double the horizontal resolution compared to Lo-Res mode (40ÃÆ'â € "48) and Hi-Res (280ÃÆ'â €" 192); in the case of Double Hi-Res, the number of available colors also increases, from 6 to 15. Apple IIes from the first production run can not use Double Hi-Res. None of these modes are directly supported by BASIC built-in.
Introduced with IIe is a DuoDisk, two 5.25 inch drives in one enclosure designed to accumulate between a computer and a monitor. DuoDisk is plagued by reliability issues, however, and does not catch as well as Apple IIe itself.
The Apple IIe is the most popular machine in the Apple II series. It has the distinction of being Apple's longest computer of all time - it's manufactured and sold with only minor changes for almost 11 years. At that time, two variations were introduced: Apple IIe Enhanced (four replacement chips to provide some features of newer Apple IIc models) and Apple IIe Platinum (modernized case color to match other Apple products in this era, along with the addition of a numeric keypad). Improved IIe with 128 kB of RAM can be considered as a minimum requirement to run most Apple II software released after about 1988. The enhanced model is distinguished from the standard IIe by having 128k of memory, hi-resolution dual graphics, and 65C02 CPU.
Two and a half years before Apple IIe, Apple produced and did not successfully market a computer called Apple III for business users. Some of its features are brought in the design of the Apple IIe. Among them is the ProDOS operating system, which is based on Apple's Advanced Operating System III (SOS).
Apple IIc
Apple released Apple IIc in April 1984, putting it as a portable Apple II, because it can be easily ported, though unlike modern portables that do not have integrated screens and batteries. IIc even uses a carrier grip that is folded down to support the machine to the typing position. This is the first of three Apple II models made in the Snow White design language, and the only one that uses a unique white and cream-white color. (Other Snow White computers of the Apple II series, II GS and IIc Plus, are light gray, so-called "Platinum" by Apple.) Outdated cassette spots are removed from IIc.
The Apple IIc is the first Apple II to use the 65C02 low power variant of the 6502 processor, and features a 5.25-inch floppy drive and 128 kB RAM, with a built-in disk controller that can control external drives, composite video (NTSC or PAL) serial for modem and printer, and port can be used either with joystick or mouse. Unlike previous Apple II models, the IIc does not have an internal expansion slot at all, this being the means by which its compact size is achieved. Third parties end up looking for ways to add up to 1 MB of additional memory and real-time clocks into the machine, and then the motherboard revision provides an expansion slot that can accept Apple memory cards that have up to 1 MB of RAM. The disk port, originally intended for a second 5.25-inch floppy drive, can ultimately interface to a 3Ã,½ inch disk drive and (via a third party) even a hard disk.
The IIc engine supports a 16-color, dual-color hi-resolution graphics mode and from software point of view identical to IIe.
Two different monochrome LCD screens are sold for use with the IIc video expansion port, although both are short-lived due to high costs and poor readability. IIc has an external power supply that converts AC power to 12 V DC, enabling third parties to offer battery packs and connected car power adapter in lieu of provided AC adapter.
Apple IIc (in its American version) is the first microcomputer to include support for the Simplified Dvorak Keyboard, which is enabled using switches above the keyboard. This feature is also later found on the latest Apple IIe computer model (even though the switch is inside the computer) and on Apple II GS (accessible via the internal control panel). The international model uses the same mechanism to switch between local keyboard layout and American keyboard, but does not offer Dvorak.
Apple II GS
The Apple II GS , released on September 15, 1986, is a radical departure from the existing Apple II line. It features a true 16-bit microprocessor, 65C816 operating on 2.8Ã, MHz with 24-bit addressing, which allows expansion of up to 8Ã, MB RAM. It introduces a new 4096 color palette and graphics modes with 320 * 200 and 640 * 400 resolutions.
Apple II GS evolves and advances the platform while retaining full-close compatibility. Chip II Mega II of Apple II GS contains the functional equivalent of the entire Apple IIe computer (sans processor). This, combined with the 65816's ability to execute 65C02 code directly, provides full support for legacy software, while also supporting the 16-bit software running under the new OS. The new OS finally includes a Macintosh Search to manage disks and files and open documents and apps, along with desk accessories. Finally, II GS gained the ability to read and write Macintosh disks and, through third-party software, even multitasking (in the form of a Unix shell) and TrueType font support.
GS includes 32-sound Ensoniq 5503 DOC wavetable sample-based sound synthesizer chip with 64Ã, kB dedicated RAM, 256Ã, kB (or more recently 1212 MB) of standard RAM, built-in peripheral port (switchable between IIe and IIc card slot style -style onboard controllers for disk drives, mouse, RGB video, and serial devices) and, the built-in AppleTalk network.
The first 50.000 Apple II GS computer came with Wozniak's "Woven" Woz signature on the front and referred to as " Woz Limited Edition . "
Apple IIc Plus
The last Apple II model was Apple IIc Plus which was introduced in 1988. It was the same size and shape as the earlier IIc, but the 5.25-inch floppy drive was replaced with 3 ½ inch drives, power is moved inside the chassis, and the processor is a fast 4c/MHz 65C02 processor that actually runs Apple II 8-bit software faster than II GS . Like the latest Apple IIc models, IIc Plus includes a memory expansion slot that will accept a princess-card that carries up to one megabyte of RAM. IIc Plus also features a new keyboard layout that matches Platinum IIe and II GS . Unlike IIe, IIc and II GS , IIc Plus only comes in one version (America) and is not officially sold anywhere outside the United States.
Apple IIe Card
Although not an extension of the Apple II line, in 1990, Apple IIe Card , the expansion card for the LC line of Macintosh computers, was released. Essentially a miniature Apple IIe computer on a card (using the Mega II chip of Apple II GS ), it allows Macintosh to run Apple IIe 8-bit software through hardware emulation (although the video is emulated in software and slower at times than IIe). Many Macintosh LC peripherals can be "borrowed" by the card when in Apple II mode (ie additional RAM, 3.5 inch floppy, AppleTalk network, hard disk). Card IIe can not, however, run software intended for Apple II 16-bit GS . The Macintosh LC with IIe Card is meant to replace the Apple II GS at school and home and possibly the reason Apple's new small
Advertising, marketing and packaging
Mike Markkula, a retired Intel marketing manager, provided the initial critical funding for Apple Computer. From 1977 to 1981, Apple used Regis McKenna's agent for advertising and marketing. In 1981, Chiat-Day acquired the advertising operations of Regis McKenna and Apple using Chiat-Day. At Regis McKenna Advertising, the team assigned to launch the Apple II consists of Rob Janoff, art director, Chip Schafer, copywriter and Bill Kelley, account executive. Janoff brings up Apple's logo with a bite. The design was originally an olive green with a company logotype that fits all in lowercase. Steve Jobs insisted on promoting the Apple II's color capability by placing a rainbow line on the Apple logo. In his letterhead and the application of a business card, a round "a" type of logo echoes the "bite" of the logo. The logo was developed in conjunction with advertisements and brochures; the latter produced for its initial distribution at the first West Coast Computer Faire.
Since the original Apple II, Apple paid great attention to the quality of packaging, in part because of Steve Jobs' personal preferences and opinions about packaging and the appearance of the final product. All Apple packaging for the Apple II series looks similar, showing lots of clean white space and showing Apple's rainbow logo prominently. For several years until the late 1980s, Apple used Motter Tektura fonts for packaging, until it transformed into Apple Garamond font.
Apple ran the first ad for Apple II, a two-page ad entitled "Introducing Apple II", at BYTE in July 1977. The first brochure, titled "Simplicity" and copies of both advertisements and brochures spearheaded the language " demystification "intended to make new ideas about home computers more" private. " The Apple II introductory ad was then run in the September 1977 edition of Scientific American .
Apple then aired eight television commercials for Apple II GS , emphasizing its benefits for education and students, along with several print ads.
Clone
Apple II is often cloned, both in the United States and abroad and similar cloning of IBM PCs later took place. According to some sources (see below), more than 190 Apple II clone models were produced. Most can not be legally imported into the United States; US Customs may confiscate even clones purchased in Asia and brought to the country as baggage. Apple sued and sought criminal charges against clone makers in more than a dozen countries, and worked with agents in the investigation. For example, in December 1983 raids on three separate importers, customs confiscated some 400 clones of the halted Apple II investigated by researchers for $ 375-500.
Without explicitly stating that they are an Apple II clone, many have fruit related names. Examples are Pineapple, and) that the review of Apricot ACT explains that it is not "not to mention" the fruit of Apple rip-off. Apple managed to force "Pineapple" to change its name to "Pinecom".
Agat is an Apple II compatible computer series manufactured in the Soviet Union between 1984 and 1993. They were widely used in schools in the 80s. The first mass production model Agat 4 and Agat 7 has a different memory layout and video mode for the Apple II, which made the first Agats only partially compatible. Agats is not a direct clone of the Apple II, but a uniquely designed computer based on the 6502 CPU and mimics the architecture of the Apple II. It helps developers to port Apple II software to Agat. Then Agat 9 model has Apple II compatibility mode out of the box. Soviet engineers and fans developed thousands of software titles for Agat, including system software, business applications, and a rich educational framework.
Bulgaria Pravetz Series 8 is an Apple II clone with Cyrillic support.
Basis, a German company, created Base 108, a clone for the Apple II that includes the 6502 processor and Zilog Z80, which enabled it to run the CP/M operating system as well as most of the Apple II software. This machine is unusual because it is placed in a heavy cast aluminum chassis. Base 108 comes with built-in Centronics (parallel) and RS232c (serial) ports, as well as a standard slot of six compatible Apple II. Unlike the Apple II it comes with a separate full-stroke keyboard (AZERTY/QWERTY) of 100 keys plus 15 function keys and a separate numerical and editing keypad.
The other Apple II clone is the Pearcom Pear II, which is larger than the original because it has no eight but fourteen expansion slots. It also has a numeric keypad. Pearcom initially used a rainbow logo, but stopped after Apple threatened to take legal action.
A Bosnian company called IRIS Computers (a subsidiary of the power companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia ENERGOINVEST) produced an Apple II clone that began in the early 1980s. Their official brand name is IRIS 8. They are very expensive and difficult to obtain and manufactured primarily for use in early computerized digital phone systems and for education. Its use in the office of a state enterprise, laboratory R & amp; D and the Yugoslav army were also reported. The IRIS 8 machine looks like an early IBM PC, with a separate central unit accompanied by a cooling system and two disks, a 5.25-inch monitor and keyboard. Compatibility with the original Apple II is complete. Elite middle schools in Yugoslavia and especially Bosnia and Herzegovina are equipped with groups of 8, 16, or 32 IRIS 8 computers connected in a local network managed by IRIS 16 PC clones. The number of IRIS 8s produced is believed to be in the order of 10 or 20 thousand.
Australian-made Apple II clone production is Medfly, named after a Mediterranean fruit fly attacking apples. Medfly computers feature faster processors, more memory, separate keyboards, lowercase and uppercase letters, and built-in disk controllers.
Until 1992 in Brazil, it was illegal to import microcomputers. Therefore, the illegal cloning industry of Apple II-based computers is strong there. In the early 1980s, there were about 20 different clones of Apple II Plus computers in the country, all using illegally copied software and hardware (since Apple II and II Plus used commonly available TTL integrated circuits). Some names include Elppa ("Apple" spelled backwards), Maxtro, Exato MC4000 (by CCE), AP II (by Unitron), and even "Apple II Plus" (manufactured by a company called Milmar, which uses the name illegally). There are only two Apple IIe clones, because they use custom IC chips that can not be copied, and therefore must be reversed and engineered in this country. These clones are TK3000 IIe by Microdigital and Exato IIe by CCE. In addition, the Laser IIc is manufactured by Milmar and, despite its name, is a clone of the Apple II Plus, not from Apple IIc, although it has a design similar to the Apple IIc, with an integrated floppy controller and 80-column Card, but without an integrated floppy disk drive.
The Ace clone of Franklin Computer Corporation is Apple's most famous and most enduring clone, because Franklin copied ROM and Apple software and freely admitted to doing so. Franklin's response is that the computer ROM is just a pattern of switches that are locked in a fixed position, and one can not reserve a switch pattern. Apple fought Franklin in court for about five years to get his clones from the market, and ultimately succeeded when the court ruled that the software stored in ROM turned out to be copyrighted in the US (See Apple Computer, Inc. v. Franklin Computer Corp.) Franklin then releases a non-infringing but less compatible clone; it can run ProDOS and AppleWorks and has a BASIC similar to Applesoft, but compatibility with other software is hit-or-miss.
Apple also challenged VTech Laser 128, an enhanced clone of Apple IIc first released in 1984, in court. The lawsuit proved to be of little use to Apple, as VTech has reverse engineered ROM Monitor rather than copy it and has an Applesoft BASIC license from its creator, Microsoft. Apple has ignored the exclusive rights to the Applesoft dialect of BASIC from Microsoft; VTech is the first cloner to license it. Laser 128 proved popular and remained on the market for years, both in its original form and in an accelerated version that runs faster than 1Ã, MHz . Although not entirely compatible with Apple II, it is near, and its popularity ensures that most major developers test their software on Laser and also on original Apple machines. Because it is often sold through mail orders and mass market retailers such as Sears, Laser 128 cuts down the sales of low-cost competitors like Commodore Business Machines as much as Apple does.
While the first Apple II clones in general are exact copies of their Apple counterparts who compete primarily on pricing, many clones have extra capabilities as well. The Franklin, Ace 1000, model uses numeric keypads and lowercase letters long before these features are added to the Apple II line. Laser 128 series is sometimes credited with spurring Apple to release Apple IIc Plus; built-in 3 ½ inch drives and an accelerated processor are features that have been pioneered by Lasers. Laser 128 also has a IIe-style expansion slot on the side that can be used to add peripheral cards.
Bell & amp; Howell, a manufacturer of audiovisual equipment whose products (especially film projectors) are everywhere in American schools, offering what appears to be a clone of Apple II Plus in a typical black plastic case. However, this is actually an Apple II Plus unit manufactured by Apple for B & H for a short period of time. Many schools have some Black Apples in their laboratories.
ITT made ITT 2020, a copy of Apple II Plus license, in the UK. It has the same shape as the Apple II but is matte silver (sometimes known as "Apple silver") and not a functionally correct copy. ITT2020 generates PAL video signals for the European market, where the US domestic market uses NTSC. The software using the BIOS works correctly on Apple and ITT, but the software written to access Apple's display hardware directly, bypassing the BIOS, is displayed with a vertical line at ITT 2020. Apple II itself was later introduced in the UK, and both Apple II and ITT 2020 sold for a while, ITT with cheaper price.
Syscom 2 Inc. (from Carson City, NV) created Syscom 2 Apple II clone. The case looked almost the same. That's 48kb of RAM and normal expansion capability. This clone also supports lowercase characters, changed by pressing the key ^ O.
Unknown companies produce clones called RX-8800. One of the new features it has is the numeric keypad.
SEKON, made in Taiwan, has the same plastic box color as Apple [], has a standard 48kb RAM, and a lowercase switch, located where the power indicator indicator is usually located on the Apple II. In addition, it displays a 5-amp power supply that provides plenty of power for additional cards. SEKON avoids shipments confiscated by US Customs, by sending their computers without ROMs, handing them to dealers to fill the boards after arriving at their personal store. Often these machines will boot with a familiar logo from Apple II after the dealer erases the original Apple ROM E-prom and adds it. The reason for the activity is that users can get a fully compatible Apple clone for usually around US $ 600, compared to US $ 2500 from Apple.
Although not technically cloned, Quadram generates an additional ISA card, called Quadlink, which provides hardware emulation from Apple II for IBM PCs. This card has 6502 CPU and 80Ã, K RAM (64Ã, K for apps, plus 16Ã ¢, K for holding back reverse engineered Apple ROMs, loaded on boot), and install "between" PC and floppy drive (s) color display, and speakers, in a pass-through configuration. This allows the PC to operate in dual-boot mode: when booting through Quadlink, the PC can run most Apple II software, and read and write Apple formatted floppies via a standard PC floppy drive. Because it has a special processor, rather than all forms of software emulation, this system runs at almost the same speed as the equivalent Apple machine. Another company, Diamond Computer Systems, produced a similar card called Trackstar, which has a pair of 6502 dual CPUs, and runs Apple II software using Apple licensed ROM. The original Trackstar (and "128" and "Plus" models) are Apple II Plus compatible, while "Trackstar E", Apple IIe compatible. Original offer 64K RAM Apple II that can be used, while another model 128K RAM (192K is on board, with additional memory provided for the Trackstar itself). The original Trackstar also contains the Z80 CPU, which enables it to run Apple DOS and Apple CP/M software, but newer Trackstar models do not, and thereby decrease CP/M. compatibility. Trackstar also has connectors that allow the real Apple floppy drive, which improves compatibility with software that utilizes Apple hardware for copy protection.
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Data storage
Cassette
Initially Apple II used audio tapes for programs and data storage. A dedicated tape recorder along the Commodore Datasette line was never produced; Apple recommends using Panasonic RQ309 in some initial print documentation. The use of common consumer cassette recorders and standard video monitors or television sets (with third party R-F modulators) makes the total cost of Apple II ownership cheaper and helps contribute to the success of Apple II.
Cassette storage may be cheap, but also slow and unreliable. The lack of Apple II of the disk drive is a "conspicuous weakness" in what is otherwise intended to be a professional, polished product. Realizing that II needed a disk drive to be taken seriously, Apple began to develop disk drives and DOS to run it. Wozniak spent the Christmas holidays in 1977 designing a disk controller that reduced the number of chips used by a factor of 10 compared to the existing controllers. Still less DOS, and with Wozniak not experienced in operating system design, Jobs approached Shepardson Microsystems with the project. On April 10, 1978 Apple signed a contract for $ 13,000 with Sheperdson to develop DOS.
Even after disk drives make cassette inputs and outdated output ports they are still used by fans as a simple one-bit audio input-output port. Ham radio operators use cassette input to receive slow scanning TVs (single frame images). The Blackjack program of commercial speech recognition is available, after some user-specific voice training will recognize a simple command (Hit, stand). "Kaleidoscope of Music" Bob Bishop is a simple program that monitors the cassette input port and based on unhindered color patterns on the screen, the precursor to audio visualization of current plug-ins for media players. Music Kaleidoscope is very popular in projection TV in the ballroom.
Disk
Apple and many third-party developers made software available on tape at first, but after Disk II was available in 1978, Apple II-based cassette software essentially disappeared from the market. The starting price of the Disk II drive and controller is US $ 595, although a $ 100 off coupon is available through Apple's "Contact" newsletter. The controller can handle two drives and a second drive (without a controller) that sells for $ 495.
One-sided disk disks Disk II using a 5.25-inch floppy disk; two-sided disks can be used, one side at a time, by reversing and creating holes for a write protect sensor. The first disk operating system for the Apple II is DOS 3.1 and DOS 3.2, which stores 113.75 kB on each disk, is set to 35 tracks from each 256-byte sector. After about two years, DOS 3.3 was introduced, saving 140Ã, kB thanks to a small firmware change on the disk controller that enabled it to save 16 sectors per track. (This increase can be installed by the user as two PROMs on the older controller.) After DOS 3.3 release, the user community stopped using DOS 3.2 except to run the legacy software. Programs that require DOS 3.2 are rare; However, since DOS 3.3 is not a major architectural change apart from the number of sectors per track, a program called MUFFIN is provided with DOS 3.3 to allow users to copy files from DOS 3.2 disks to DOS 3.3 disks. It's possible for software developers to create DOS 3.2 disks that will also boot on systems with DOS 3.3 firmware.
Then, a two-sided drive, with the head to read both sides of the disc, becomes available from a third-party company. (Apple only produces two-sided disks of 5.25 "for Lisa 1 computers).
On DOS 3.x discs, tracks 0, 1, and most tracks 2 are reserved for operating system saves. (It is possible, with special utility, to reclaim most of this space for data if the disk does not need to be booted.) The short ROM program on the disk controller has the ability to search for zero track - which is done regardless of the read/write position of the head when this generates a typical "chat" sound from the Disk II boot, which is the read/write head hitting the rubber stoppers block at the end of the rail - and read and execute the code from sector 0. The code there will draw the rest of the operating system. DOS stores the disk directory on track 17, hitting in the middle of a 35-track disk, to reduce the average search time to frequently used directory tracks. The directory is fixed in size and can store a maximum of 105 files. Subdirectory not supported.
Most game publishers do not include DOS on their floppy disks, because they need more memory than they can afford; on the contrary, they often write their own boot loader and file system read-only. It also works to prevent "crackers" from peering around game copy-protection code, since data on the disk is not in easily accessible files.
Some third-party manufacturers produce floppy drives that can write 40 songs to most 5.25-inch disks, generating 160 kB of storage per disk, but the format is not popular widely, and no known commercial software is published on 40-track media. Most drives, even Disk II, can write 36 tracks; modification of two bytes to DOS to format the extra path is common.
Apple Disk II stores 140 kB on single single-density floppy disks, but it's very common for Apple II users to extend the capacity of a single-sided floppy disk up to 280 kB by cutting off the second writing. protect the notch on the side of the disc using a "disk notcher" or puncher hole and insert the disc upside down. Two-sided disks, with notches on both sides, are available at a higher price, but in practice the magnetic layer on the reverse of a nominal one-sided disk usually has good enough quality to use (both sides coated in the same layer). way to prevent warping, even if only one side is certified to use). Initially, disk manufacturers routinely warned that this technique would damage the read/write head drive or worn the disk faster, and these warnings are often repeated in magazines that day. But in practice, this method is a cheap way to store twice as much data without additional cost, and is widely used for commercially released floppy as well.
Then, the Apple II can use 3.5 inch disks with a total capacity of 800 kB and hard disk. DOS 3.3 does not support this drive natively; Third party software is required, and disks larger than about 400 kB should be split into multiple "virtual disk volumes."
DOS 3.3 was replaced by ProDOS, a 1983 derivative of Apple///'s SOS. It adds support for subdirectories and volumes up to 32 MB in size. ProDOS becomes Apple II DOS choice; AppleWorks and other new programs need it.
Legacy
Industry impact
The Apple II computer series has a huge impact on the technology industry and everyday life. Apple II is the first personal computer that has ever seen many people. The price is affordable by many middle-class families, and partnership with MECC helps make Apple II popular in schools. By the end of 1980 Apple had sold more than 100,000 Apple II. Its popularity is to boot computer games and educational software market and start booming on word processors and computer printer market. The first microcomputer program for business was VisiCalc, the earliest spreadsheet, and first run on Apple II. Many businesses buy Apple II just to run VisiCalc. His success led IBM to create an IBM PC, which many businesses purchased to run spreadsheet and word processing software, was originally moved from the Apple II version.
The Apple II slot allows each device card to control the bus and access the memory directly, enabling the industry independent of the card manufacturers that together create a hardware product flood that allows the user to build a much more powerful and useful system (at a lower cost) rather than competing systems, most of which are not nearly developed and universally proprietary. The first peripheral card is a blank prototype card intended for electronic fans who want to design their own peripherals for the Apple II.
Special peripherals make Apple II used in industry and educational environment for many years after Apple Computer stopped supporting Apple II. Well into the 1990s every clean room (a super-clean facility where the spacecraft is prepared for flight) at Kennedy Space Center using the Apple II to monitor the environment and air quality. Most planetariums use the Apple II to control projectors and other equipment.
Even gaming ports are amazingly powerful and can be used for digital and analog input and output. The initial manual includes instructions for how to build circuits with only four commonly available components (one transistor and three resistors) and a software routine to drive a common Model 33 teletype machine. A hacker (Don Lancaster) uses I/O games to drive the LaserWriter printer.
The modern usage
Currently, emulators for various Apple II models are available to run Apple II software on macOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows, homebrew that allows Nintendo DS and other operating systems. Many Apple II software disk images are available free on the Internet for use with this emulator. AppleWin and MESS are among the best emulators that are compatible with most Apple II images. The MESS emulator supports the recording and playback of Apple II emulation sessions, just like Home Action Replay Page (a.k.a. HARP).
In addition, the active retrocomputing community of collectors and users of Apple II, continues to restore, maintain and develop the hardware and software for everyday use of this original computer. Many websites and support groups exist for these fans who maintain and use their machines. There is still a small annual convention, KansasFest, dedicated to the platform.
In 2017 the band 8 Bit Weapon released the first 100% Apple II-based music album entitled, "Apple Class." The album features a cover version of classical music oriented by Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart recorded live from Apple II motherboards. Even the drums on the album are made using apple II only.
Apple II timeline and Family model
See also
- Apple Industrial Design Group
- List of publications and periodicals for Apple II
- Apple II peripheral card
- Apple II graphics
- List of Apple II app software
- List of Apple II games
- List of Apple II games GS
References
- Wozniak, Steve (May 1977). "System Description: Apple II". Byte .
External links
- Apple II in Curlie (based on DMOZ)
- Apple II episode clone list
- "The First Apple Employee Image It's Very Good", contains photos c.1977 taken in early Apple employees Chrisann Brennan, Mark Johnson, and Robert Martinengo stood in front of a stack of Apple II they had tested, assembled, and will be sent ( Business Insider , 26 December 2013).
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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